Read The Safe Bet (The Game Changers #3) Online
Authors: Shealy James
I was sure there was nothing left of my car when I reached the bottom.
Once it registered I was no longer moving, I took stock of myself. Arms. Legs. Body. Face. Not a scratch on me. My seatbelt had held me firm. The only damage was the burn from the air bags, and even those were relatively minor compared to the last time.
As I twisted and turned in my seat, expecting to find a painful injury that I hadn’t yet recognized, I heard someone shout, “Miss? Miss, are you all right?”
It was only then that I glanced outside of the car. My windshield and passenger side window had shattered, but everything else was relatively unharmed.
I had to say it out loud. “You’re okay. Everyone’s okay. She wasn’t in the car. You’re safe, Reagan,” I told myself.
“Miss!” A man was pulling my door open. “Are you all right?”
I glanced up to see what had to be the truck driver standing next to me. “Yes. I…yes, I think I’m fine.”
“I’m so sorry, Miss. I didn’t see you. I guess I took the turn too fast…I don’t know. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s…” I wasn’t sure what to say, but it seemed that he needed comforting more than I did. “It’s fine,” I finally said. “I’m fine.”
“You sure? I could call an ambulance. I’ve already called the police. Do you want me to call anyone else?”
I looked over at the passenger seat and saw my cell phone was still sitting there on top of my purse. My phone hadn’t even budged from its place. The last time, my phone was unrecognizable when it was thrown around the car and shattered.
“Miss?”
“Uh…no. I’ll call someone. It’s okay. Maybe you could go up to the top of the hill and meet the police. I’m going to need a tow truck.”
“Yes, ma’am. Good idea, and again, I’m so very sorry about this. I’m glad you’re all right.”
He rushed away, and I watched him climb the hill, slipping a little on the damp ground. I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed from my car to take stock of the damage. As I assessed the dented bumper, broken lights, and scratched paint job, I considered whom I should call. If this had happened a month ago, it would have been a no-brainer. Jordan would already be in the car on his way to me, but now, he wasn’t the person I needed right then. I needed Brock.
The realization hit me hard. I needed him. I needed his arms around me. I needed him to make me feel safe again, and most importantly, there was no one whose comfort I wanted more right then.
I made the call, and it was exactly how I imagined it would be.
“Rea,” he answered. “You okay? Your brother was out of line—”
“Brock,” I interrupted with a wail as I finally broke.
“Babe? What’s wrong? Where are you?”
Then the dam broke. The tears came, and I couldn’t have stopped them with any amount of will power. “I was in an accident,” I sobbed.
“Where are you? Just tell me where you are, and I’ll be there, Rea.”
And he was. He showed up just as the police were arriving. As soon as his car was stopped, he was jumping out of it looking for me. He didn’t even close his door. I was sitting back in my car, waiting at the bottom of the hill for the police. The second his eyes met mine, I jumped out of the car and started toward him. He came bounding down the hill and scooped me up as soon as he reached me.
“Are you hurt?” he asked as he held me against him.
“No. I’m fine. Just scared more than anything.”
“I bet.” He set me down so he could look at me, then held my face tenderly between his big hands when he asked, “What happened?”
“I wasn’t paying attention, I guess. The truck crossed the line, and I swerved to avoid him. I over-corrected.”
“Rea.” He sighed and pulled me to him again. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I could kill your brother for messing with you this morning.”
“No, no. He was right. It’s definitely time to get over it. He’s been coming around for Meyer. And while he had a million chances to correct his mistake while I was growing up, I can’t keep Meyer from potentially having a bigger family because I’m hurt.”
“Where is all of this coming from? Did the accident scare you that much?” he asked suspiciously.
“No, it’s what I was thinking when I looked up and saw the truck. The only thing I was afraid of was not getting to tell someone.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, that and flying down this hill at warp speed scared the shit out of me. Life’s too short to live in the past.”
“Yes, it is,” he agreed and pulled me to him for a kiss that I would never forget.
Three Months Later
“So, you’re closing the store?”
“Yes, ma’am, Mrs. Hilsman. It’s just not self-sustainable anymore.”
“What are you going to do, Reagan? Are you getting married?”
“No. I plan to find a job.”
“Doing what?”
“Well, my friend’s fiancé writes books. As a favor, I edited her most recent one, and it was well received. Maybe I’ll do that.”
“That sounds like bull.”
I laughed. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“You know, my grandson is still single. If you’re looking for a husband, he might be just the guy for you.”
“No ma’am. I have a boyfriend, and he is everything I ever wanted.”
“Well, how do you know? You can’t hardly know him after such little time.”
Just then the door jingled and in walked the man himself. He was carrying a single red rose and wearing a naughty grin that let me know exactly what he was up to. It was time for the old bat to leave so we could get to it.
“I’ve known him most my life, Mrs. Hilsman. He’s a safe bet, don’t you worry. Now, I’ll let you know the exact closing date, but in the meantime, can I just say one more time how much you will enjoy an e-reader?”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first ten times.” She waved me off. Before she walked out of the store, she paused where Brock was holding the door for her. “You know what they say about the ones that are too good-looking? They’re anything but a safe bet, but you should never kick them out of bed. Good luck to you, Reagan.”
I laughed as she walked through the door. Brock had an eyebrow cocked as he grabbed me by the rear and pulled me against him. “What was that all about?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Oh, yes I do.”
“She doesn’t think you’re a safe bet because you’re too attractive.”
“Huh.” He grinned at the compliment from the old lady. “She thinks I’m hot.”
“Every woman in the world thinks you’re hot, Brock.”
“Even you?”
As if he even had to ask. “Especially me.”
His grin widened. “I’m the safest bet you can make, Rea. I’m all yours.”
“That’s what I thought. That old hag doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“No, she doesn’t.” He laughed, then kissed me again. This time is was deeper, distracting, inspiring. All too soon, he pulled away. “You ready for this, Rea?”
“Yup. Let’s go see my brother get hitched.”
Within the hour, we were at the airport ready to board a plane for Vegas where Jordan would marry Zoe with my dad, me, Brock, Clara, and Meyer as witnesses.
She wore a simple knee-length white dress. He wore a tie that was her favorite shade of blue. Their vows were simple, but their love was clear.
“I will love you with all that I am for all of my days.” Jordan spoke hoarsely through his unshed tears that made his eyes sparkle.
“I will love you with all that I am for all of my days,” Zoe responded with a shaky voice that matched Jordan’s emotion.
That day my brother had eyes for no one other than his bride. His daughter was lucky to see her father love someone that way. She was all smiles all day, knowing that the next step was her official adoption. They were going to be a real family.
I had to admit I was a little jealous. She was going to have everything I ever wanted.
“You all right, Rea?” Brock asked as his arms snuck around my waist from behind. Feeling him press against my back reminded me just how lucky I was these days.
“Yeah, I’m great.” I leaned to the side to accept the kiss he gently pressed to my lips.
“You ready for all that?” He nodded toward the happy couple as they danced with their daughter.
“Marriage?”
We had discussed getting married in a very brief conversation after the car accident. He told me he wasn’t letting me go, and my father of all people basically told him to put a ring on it. I shut that conversation down immediately.
“Yes, marriage. With me. Forever, Rea?”
I grinned wildly, but turned my back to him again so he couldn’t see just how badly I wanted exactly that. “How about we get through this wedding before we start talking about any more?” We already lived in his house on the beach and had adopted a dog that we named Samson. He was enormous and hilarious, and we were quite happy with the way things were.
My answer wasn’t good enough to distract him, though. I suddenly felt his lips at my ear when he whispered, “You can pretend all you want, Reagan Anders, but I will add the last two letters on your name if it’s the last thing I do. One day soon I’m going to propose, and you’re going to say yes. Then I’m going to knock you up as many times as you’ll let me, and you’ll get your dream of having the perfect family.”
Well, all right then.
Acknowledgments
I have people. I love my people, and I am so grateful for those people who help me with ideas, beta reading, editing, marketing, so on and so forth. Ryan Ringbloom, Mia Rivers, and Karla Reed, thank you for reading for me again. Debra Presley, you have been wonderful and amazing once more as we are promoting my sixth book together. Every time I have a new editor, I am anxious to see just how badly my book bleeds when it comes back, but I was so pleased with all the thoughts, comments, and changes that I did not lose sleep over the murder of the first draft. Thank you, Therese Arkenberg for helping make my book and wording a million times better.
I am so happy to be part of the Limitless team. Thank you to all the Limitless people who helped make this book happen. I literally could not be doing this without you.
Readers, I hope you loved Brock and Reagan as much as I do. I am forever grateful you chose to pick up my book when there are so many amazing writers out there. Please consider sharing the love and leaving a review.
About the Author
Shealy James is a Georgia native who teaches math by day and writes romance at night. As an avid reader, expert on romantic comedy films, and lover of realistic characters who could be her best friends if only they really existed, Shealy appreciates when humor mixes with drama to guide her imaginary friends to their happy endings. And there must always be a happy ending. Shealy openly eats enough candy to feed a small nation, drinks sweet tea by the gallon, hopes to hit 10,000 steps each day, and lives every day with her amazing daughter.